The audience journey funnel is dead — use a playground instead

Abstract

The funnel is not representative of the audience journey. It is a retrospective measurement tool, not a forward-looking strategy tool. This paper shows how, as marketers, we need to think holistically about the journey, making it seamless and delightful. It is no longer about rushing people to a purchase with as few touch points as possible, it is about allowing them to choose their own path in a way that helps them reach their destination. This paper analyses the pitfalls of the traditional funnel when creating content strategy, and why a playground is more representative of the audience journey; how to use content depths, intent and time horizons to effectively create and distribute content; and how to map assets and channels to build a seamless, delightful and helpful playground for their audience.